Domestic Surface Treatment Appliance Provided with Tracking Means and Tracking Module for Use with Such Appliance

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a domestic surface treatment appliance ( 1 ), such as a vacuum cleaner, iron or lawn mower, provided with a treatment head ( 2 ) for treating a surface by wiping along or passing over said surface. The appliance ( 1 ) furthermore comprises tracking means ( 12 ) for recording wiping movements of the treatment head ( 2 ), and a user interface ( 15 ) for presenting the recorded wiping movements as strokes (S) on a display ( 16 ), enabling a user to readily spot missed surface parts. The appliance ( 1 ) may further comprise quality detection means ( 14 ), for measuring a parameter representative of the achieved quality. This quality parameter can be presented to a user by the color of the strokes (S). The invention furthermore relates to a module ( 10 ), comprising tracking means ( 12 ), a user interface ( 15 ) and possible quality detection means ( 14 ), for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance ( 1 ).

The invention relates to a domestic surface treatment appliance comprising a treatment head arranged to be passed over or wiped along a surface to be treated.

The invention further relates to a module for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance provided with a treatment head for wiping along the surface to be treated.

Examples of such a known domestic surface treatment appliance are a vacuum cleaner, a window cleaner, a lawn mower, a shaving device, a paint dispenser or the like. These appliances all have in common that they comprise some sort of treatment head, such as a suction nozzle, spraying nozzle, cutter head or roller, which is passed over or wiped along the surface while performing the desired treatment, like suctioning, rinsing, cutting, painting or the like.

When treating a surface with these known appliances, a user can easily lose track of which parts of the surface have already been treated and which have not, especially when the surface is large and/or of complex shape and the treated parts are not readily distinguishable over the untreated ones. This may result in some spots being inadvertently treated twice and other spots being skipped altogether, resulting in a sub-optimal and inefficient surface treatment.

It is an object of the invention to provide a domestic surface treatment appliance and a module for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance of the kinds mentioned in the opening paragraphs, wherein the above signaled problem is overcome.

In order to achieve this object a domestic surface treatment appliance in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the appliance comprises tracking means for recording wiping movements of the treatment head, and a user interface for presenting the recorded wiping movements to a user and/or a central processing unit.

In order to achieve this object a module for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance in accordance with the invention is characterized in that the module comprises tracking means for recording wiping movements of the treatment head, and a user interface for presenting the recorded wiping movements to a user.

By providing a surface treatment appliance with tracking means for recording wiping movements of the treatment head along a surface being treated, and by presenting these recorded wiping movements to a user, this user can be given clear and positive feedback, during or after the treatment, regarding which surface parts have been treated and which have not. This will prevent the user from treating the same spot twice and help him to identify untreated parts, resulting ultimately in a more complete and more efficient treatment. Additionally or alternatively, the recorded data may be communicated to a central processing unit, arranged to guide or help a user guiding the treatment head along the surface.

The tracking means are preferably capable of detecting movements in all six degrees of freedom. To that end a series of position, velocity and/or acceleration sensors can be permanently mounted to the treatment head, or detachably for instance via a click connection, clamping means, a threaded connection, Velcro, wax or the like. A detachable connection offers the advantage that the tracking means can be exchanged for other tracking means, or used with other domestic appliances. The term position sensor is to be understood to comprise any means with which a position can be determined, including for instance cameras, radar or sonar technology.

The user interface preferably comprises a display on which the recorded movements of the treatment head can be depicted as strokes having a contrasting color with the rest of the display, which represents the remaining (untreated) surface. Thanks to such a graphic presentation the user can see at a single glance which parts of the surface have been skipped. This immediate feedback and the fun of seeing the display being colored during treatment of the surface may contribute to making the activity a more enjoyable one.

In a further preferred embodiment, the appliance comprises quality detection means for measuring the quality of the treatment, i.e. at least a parameter representative thereof. This quality information can subsequently be fed back to the user, giving him the opportunity to adjust, i.e. improve the treatment. The quality detection means may comprise various sensors, depending on the type of surface treatment appliance. For instance, if the appliance is a vacuum cleaner, the quality detection means may comprise a dust sensor, arranged to count the number of dust particles passing a suction nozzle of the vacuum cleaner, for example per unit of volume or unit of time. If the appliance is a shaver or lawn mower, the quality detection means may comprise a sensor for measuring the average size of the cut-off particles. If the appliance is a paint dispenser the quality detection means may measure the reflectivity or absorption, in order to establish the color of the treated surface. If the appliance is a window cleaner, high-pressure cleaner or a scrubber or the like, the quality detection means may comprise a sensor for measuring the pollution of collected wastewater. It will be appreciated that many other quality detection means are feasible, depending on the type of treatment.

In a highly preferred embodiment, the tracking and quality data can be recorded simultaneously. In that case, the quality can be determined as an average quality, yielding one quality value per wiping movement of the treatment head, or as an instantaneous quality, which may vary during one wiping movement. In either case, the recorded quality data may inform the user whether the particular wiping movement was sufficient. If not, the wiping movement or part thereof can be repeated, till the quality is acceptable.

The quality can for instance be presented by acoustic means, such as an alarm or a change of pitch when the quality drops. This offers the advantage that the user will be made aware of quality changes, without him continuously having to check visual presentation means, allowing him to keep his eyes on the surface to be treated. Alternatively, the quality may be presented graphically. For instance, the recorded average quality may be presented by displaying the strokes in different colors or shadings, each color or shading being associated with a distinct quality level or range. Additionally, the recorded instantaneous quality may for instance be presented by means of a separate bar, displayed adjacent the surface, of which the color may vary (continuously) with the recorded quality. Such a graphical presentation provides the user with a very detailed, yet clear overview, wherein the quality can be evaluated per wiping movement, and poor quality spots can be easily identified and accurately tracked, also at a later stage, e.g. at the end of a treatment session.

In a further elaboration, the appliance preferably comprises memory means, for storing recorded data. The stored information can for instance be used in subsequent treatment sessions or by a third party, for verifying whether the treatment was performed correctly.

Furthermore, the appliance is advantageously provided with a central processing unit. Such a unit can be loaded with a suitable algorithm for determining particulars of the treated surface, such as boundaries and obstacles. Demarcation of the boundaries helps to improve the treatment, because it often occurs that near these boundaries spots are skipped or forgotten. Moreover, the module will be able to more quickly determine that a spot has been forgotten and hence signal a user in an early stage. The treatment particulars may be determined on the basis of the tracking and/or quality data, preferably as the treatment progresses or is near completion. This information may subsequently be shown on the display and stored in the memory means, for use during a subsequent treatment of the same or a similar surface. Different particulars may be stored for different uses and users. Of course, the data may also be inputted manually by a user, via suitable input means.

Furthermore, the user interface is preferably provided with means for indicating the current position of the treatment head. Thus, the user can orient himself with regard to the surface and easily find back missed spots on the real surface, using the indication on the display. The indication can for instance be provided by means of a cursor or by making the last stroke blink or adopt a different color.

Additionally, the module is preferably loaded with an algorithm for adapting the scale of the surface portion and strokes displayed on the user interface. By virtue thereof, the recorded data can be displayed at an appropriate scale throughout the treatment session, applying a rather large scale at the start of the session and gradually reducing said scale as the treatment progresses along, and the treated surface becomes larger.

Communication between the or each recording means (tracking and quality) and the user interface is preferably wireless, allowing the user interface to be positioned freely at any convenient location, independent of the tracking and quality means, which are preferably located on or near the treatment head.

A module for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance according to the invention can advantageously be used with different appliances, wherein the tracking means can be attached to a treatment head of the appliance, and the quality detection means, if added, may be adjusted to the quality parameter to be measured. Thus, existing appliances can be easily upgraded with a module according to the invention.

Embodiments of a domestic surface treatment appliance in accordance with the invention and of a module for use therein will be described in detail in the following description with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A,B show a domestic surface treatment appliance, in particular a vacuum cleaner, provided with a suction nozzle and a module according to the invention for providing a user with feedback regarding which surface parts have already been treated and which have not;

FIG. 2 shows, in further detail, a user interface of the module of FIG. 1, in particular a display; and

FIGS. 3A-F show tracking and quality information displayed at the display of FIG. 2, at six consecutive stages of a treatment session.

In this description, the invention will be explained by means of a vacuum cleaner 1, as shown in FIG. 1. It should however be understood that the invention can be applied in every surface treatment appliance wherein the treatment is based on some sort of treatment head being wiped along or passed over a surface, which surface may be of two or three-dimensional shape. Other examples of surface treatment appliances include for instance floor or carpet scrubbing devices, window cleaners, high-pressure cleaners, paint dispensers, lawn mowers, shavers, irons and the like.

The vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 comprises a treatment head 2, in particular a suction nozzle, which is provided with at least one suction inlet 3, and possibly some brushes or the like, allowing the nozzle 2 to be smoothly passed over a surface to be treated. The vacuum cleaner 1 furthermore comprises a housing 5, equipped with wheels 6 or other sliding means, allowing the housing to be easily moved about the surface to be treated. The housing 5 houses at least a dust collector 8 such as a filter bag, which is connected to the or each suction inlet 3 via a suction hose 7. The suction hose 7 is preferably partly flexible and partly stiff, as indicated by reference numerals 7A and 7B, allowing a user both freedom of movement and steering control when wiping the nozzle 2 along the surface. The housing 5 furthermore comprises driving means (not shown) for establishing a vacuum or at least a sub-atmospheric pressure in the suction hose 7, causing dust and other small particles to be sucked up through the suction inlet 3, as the nozzle 2 is wiped along the surface, e.g. a floor.

The vacuum cleaner 1 is furthermore equipped with a module 10, comprising tracking means 12 mounted on the suction nozzle 2 (see FIG. 1B), for tracking the movement of the nozzle 2 during treatment of the surface, and a user interface 15 for presenting the recorded movements to a user, preferably during the treatment. The user interface 15 may, to that end, comprise audio and/or video means, for instance a display 16, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The tracking means 12 can comprise any sensor suitable to record displacement of the nozzle 2 in at least one linear direction, preferably the direction most frequently used during vacuum cleaning, i.e. extending substantially perpendicularly to the width of the nozzle 2 and parallel to the surface to be treated, as indicated by arrow A in FIG. 1. The sensor can for instance comprise a velocity sensor or an acceleration sensor, of which the output signals can be integrated once, respectively twice, to obtain the desired displacement signal. In a preferred embodiment, the tracking means 12 comprise a plurality of sensors arranged to record movements in all six degrees of freedom, that is three linear directions and three rotational directions.

The module 10 furthermore preferably comprises quality detection means 14, for measuring the ‘quality’ of the treatment, i.e. at least a parameter representative thereof. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1A, B, the quality detection means 14 comprise a particle sensor, mounted in the suction hose 7 for measuring quantities of particles passing through said hose 7 per unit of volume and/or per unit of time. It will be clear that the particle sensor could be located at any other location in the flowpath of the suctioned air containing dust and other particles to be measured. It will furthermore be clear that for other surface treatment appliances, other quality detection means can be used, depending on the characteristics of the given treatment.

The module 10 may also comprise a central processing unit and appropriate software for converting the recorded data into a presentable form, fit for presentation to a user via the user interface 15. The central processing unit may furthermore be arranged to control the movements of the appliance, in particular the suction nozzle 2, so as to guide said nozzle along the surface according to a predetermined treatment plan, with or without help from the user. Furthermore, memory means (not shown) may be provided for storing data recorded during a treatment session. These stored data can for instance be used by a third person to check whether the treatment has been performed satisfactorily. Alternatively such data can be used in later treatment sessions or for determining particulars of the surface to be treated.

The module 10, especially the user interface 15, may furthermore comprise a keyboard or the like, for allowing a user to select for instance the format in which the recorded data are to be presented to him or for entering treatment-related information regarding for instance the surface, the nature of the treatment, etc.

The module 10 is preferably releasably attached to the vacuum cleaner 1, for instance by means of a clip, a threaded connection, click mechanism, wax or the like. This allows the module 10 to be attached at a most convenient location and, moreover, to be used with different surface treatment appliances 1, wherein the quality detection means 14 may be exchanged for other quality detection means, adapted to the given appliance. Preferably, the different module parts communicate with each other via wireless transmitting and receiving means. By virtue thereof, these parts, notably the tracking means 12, quality detection means 14 and user interface 15 can be positioned completely independently of each other, each at a most convenient location, thereby enhancing the ease of use and freedom of operation.

The functioning of the vacuum cleaner 1 and module 10 will now be explained referring to FIGS. 3A-F, showing six consecutive steps of a vacuum cleaning session.

At the start of the cleaning session the user may mount the tracking means 12 on the suction nozzle 2 and the quality detection means 14 in the suction hose 7, which hose may be provided, to that end, with a suitable measuring opening. Furthermore, the user may install the interface 15 at a convenient location, for instance on the housing 5, the suction hose 7, a side table, or any other spot in the room. Next, the user can enter treatment-related information, for instance details regarding the surface to be treated, such as a contour, a map of objects located therein or details regarding the surface material, information regarding the desired cleaning quality or any other relevant information. Alternatively, such information may be pre-stored in the memory of the module 10, in which case the user can select, at the start of a new session, an appropriate treatment profile.

At the start of the treatment session the display may be empty (if no information is available from previous sessions) or show the surface to be treated, for instance in top plan view or perspective view. In the latter case, a cursor 17 or comparable indicator may be displayed, showing the vacuum cleaner's 1 current location with regard to the displayed surface (see FIG. 2). This information may be based on information from the tracking means 12. As the user wipes the nozzle 2 along the surface, this movement is recorded by the tracking means 12, and transmitted to the central processing unit. Here, the signal is converted so as to be displayed as a stroke (S₁) on display 16 of the user interface 15, as illustrated in FIG. 3A. In this way, each subsequent wiping movement of the nozzle 2 is ‘converted’ into a stroke (S_(i)), likewise displayed on the display 16, as shown in FIG. 3B. The orientation and scale of each subsequent stroke (S_(i)) are matched to those of the first stroke (S₁). Alternatively, the orientation of the previous strokes may be adapted to the wiping direction of the most recent stroke, which most recent stroke may for instance be displayed as a vertical stroke, extending near the center of the display. In this way, the orientation of the treated surface on the display will continuously change with the wiping direction of the suction nozzle 2, which may help a user to orient himself even better. As the strokes (S_(i)) reach the boundary of the display 16, the scale is automatically adjusted, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, showing the same strokes (S₁, S_(i)) as in FIG. 3B but at a smaller scale. Of course, the adjustment may be done manually, if desired.

For every wiping movement, the quality detection sensor 14 will detect the quantity of particles passing through the suction hose 7 per unit of volume or per unit of time. Like the tracking data, the recorded quantity data are transmitted to the central processing unit, where they can be compared to the average quantity of the previous stroke or strokes, resulting in a relative quality distinction, which may help a user to quickly detect quality changes. Alternatively the recorded dust quantity can be compared to a predetermined, i.e. prestored range of dust quantities, which are associated with different quality levels. Such comparison will result in an absolute quality distinction. Regardless whether the quality distinction is relative or absolute, it can be displayed at the user interface 15, for instance by means of a numerical value or a letter, which can be updated with every new value (allowing instantaneous quality detection) and/or every stroke (S) (allowing average quality detection). In a preferred embodiment the quality distinction can be presented to the user by means of the color of the relevant stroke, which is illustrated in FIG. 3D, showing a situation in which four strokes (S_(q)) have a color which is different from the rest, indicating a drop in quality. This may for instance be caused by a local accumulation of dust, for instance underneath a chair, or bookshelf, requiring several wiping movements to achieve the desired level of cleanness. Additionally or alternatively the quality may be displayed independently of the strokes, for instance by a bar 18, as shown in FIG. 2, of which the color changes continuously with every new recorded quality value. Alternatively or additionally, a change in average or instantaneous quality may be signaled to the user by an audible signal, informing the user that additional treatment is required.

As the surface treatment progresses along, the strokes (S) start to outline a picture of the surface being treated, as illustrated in FIG. 3E. This information can be used by software loaded in the module 10 to reconstruct a possible contour 20 of the surface (if this information was not pre-stored from an earlier session or entered by the user) including any obstructions 21, caused by for instance furniture, as illustrated in FIG. 3F. Thus, any skipped or insufficiently treated surface portions near the contour of the surface can be readily identified and corrected accordingly.

The reconstructed surface contour and any other useful information collected during the treatment may be stored in the module 10, for use in a later session, or for a third person to verify whether the treatment was performed properly.

The invention is not in any way limited to the exemplary embodiment shown in the description and the Figures. Many variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For instance, the surface to be treated may be a three-dimensional surface, which may be displayed by the user interface in perspective view. The position-indicating means, providing the user with feedback regarding his current position with regard to the surface, may act by making the most recent stroke blink on the display and/or by displaying said stroke in a different color. Furthermore, the module may be provided with more than one set of quality detecting means, or means for measuring other particulars of the treatment, such as the duration of the treatment, date and time, the amount of additive used, if any, etc. 

1. Domestic surface treatment appliance comprising a treatment head arranged to be passed over or wiped along a surface to be treated, characterized in that the appliance comprises tracking means for recording wiping movements of the treatment head, and a user interface for presenting the recorded wiping movements to a user and/or a central processing unit.
 2. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the user interface comprises a display arranged to display at least a relevant portion of the surface to be treated and each recorded wiping movement as a stroke or brush on said surface portion.
 3. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the tracking means comprise at least one position, velocity or acceleration sensor.
 4. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the appliance further comprises quality detection means, arranged to record one or more parameters that are representative of a quality of the surface treatment.
 5. Appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the quality detection means are arranged to record the quality of the surface treatment during each wiping movement of the treatment head.
 6. Appliance according to claim 2, characterized in that the user interface is arranged to present, for each stroke displayed by the interface, an average quality recorded for that stroke.
 7. Appliance according to claim 6, characterized in that the recorded quality is presented to a user by a color of the relevant surface portion or stroke displayed on the user interface.
 8. Appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the user interface is arranged to instantaneously present recorded quality data, measured during each wiping movement.
 9. Appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the user interface is arranged to indicate a current position of the treatment head with regard to the surface being treated.
 10. Appliance according to claim 4, characterized in that the appliance is a vacuum cleaner, the treatment head is a suction nozzle and the quality detection means comprise a particle sensor, which is mounted in a flowpath of the air sucked up during use by the suction nozzle, said particle sensor being arranged for measuring a quantity of dust or other particles contained in said sucked up air, per unit of time unit and/or per unit of volume.
 11. Module for use with a domestic surface treatment appliance provided with a treatment head for wiping along the surface to be treated, characterized in that the module comprises tracking means for recording wiping movements of the treatment head and a user interface for presenting the recorded wiping movements to a user.
 12. Module according to claim 11, characterized in that the user interface Comprises a display, arranged to display at least a relevant part of the surface to be treated as well as each recorded wiping movement as a stroke or brush on said surface.
 13. Module according to claim 11, characterized in that the module further comprises quality detection means for detecting one or more parameters representative of the quality of the treatment, preferably for each wiping movement of the treatment head. 